Verbena hybrida. 
xe2x80x98Balazplumxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Balazplumxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar was developed by the inventor through a controlled breeding program during 1998 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of verbena cultivars with semi-trailing mounded habit, continuous flowering, excellent basal branching and small, dark green foliage.
The female (seed) parent of xe2x80x98Balazplumxe2x80x99 was the proprietary verbena cultivar designated PAS36117 (not patented), which exhibits a semi-trailing habit, dark purple flowers and serrated, medium green foliage. The male (pollen) parent of xe2x80x98Balazplumxe2x80x99 was the commercially available verbena cultivar, xe2x80x98Temari Patio Hot Pinkxe2x80x99 (not patented), which exhibits a vigorous, trailing habit, hot pink flowers and dark green foliage.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.
It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:
(a) exhibits purple flowers,
(b) forms deeply cleft, dark green foliage
(c) exhibits a good basal branching character and
(d) exhibits a mounded and trailing growth habit.
The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to xe2x80x98Temari Bright Pinkxe2x80x99. In side by side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of xe2x80x98Temari Bright Pinkxe2x80x99 by the following characteristics: it is found that the new cultivar is taller, has larger more deeply cleft leaves and flowers and calyx of a different color as detailed in TABLE A.
When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to its seed parent, PAS36117, the new cultivar is distinguished from xe2x80x98PAS36117xe2x80x99 primarily in petal coloration and leaf margin. When the new cultivar of the present invention is compared to its pollen parent, xe2x80x98Temari Patio Hot Pinkxe2x80x99, the new cultivar is distinguished from xe2x80x98Temari Patio Hot Pinkxe2x80x99 primarily in petal coloration.